Patrick "Pat" Gibson Helms

Patrick Gibson Helms, USAF Lt. Col. (Ret), 94, took his final flight on June 14, 2025. “Pat” was a hero, with a gracious and connective spirit that deeply touched those who knew him. While advanced Alzheimer’s took his memory and his life, it did not take his humor, compassion, or smile which continued to brighten every room. 

 

Pat was born at home on January 7, 1931, at 2:00 a.m. in Rose Siding, West Virginia, the eighth of nine children. His mother, Ethel, insisted his father, John, move the family to a life away from coal mining, and they settled on a farm near Jackson, Ohio. With his father suffering from Black Lung disease, the children worked hard to survive, a work ethic that followed Pat through his life. After graduating high school at 17, he and a friend enlisted in the Navy, where he was selected for submarine school in New London, Connecticut, serving as a Quartermaster and Helmsman stationed out of Key West, Florida. Although he completed his Navy service after a couple of years and went on to college, the U.S. Navy tattoo on his arm stayed with him, a permanent reminder and source of much ribbing during his 28 years in the U.S. Air Force. 

 

Pat met his wife, Dori, at Ohio University in 1954, beginning a 70-year love affair. They married in 1956 in Charlotte, North Carolina before embarking on a military life that included assignments in Alabama, Texas, Massachusetts, Nebraska, California, Oregon, and New Mexico, where they retired before finally settling in Colorado. Together, he and Dori raised four daughters, each of whom adored their dad and shared a unique bond with him, filled with laughter, love, and a deep sense that he truly saw and cherished each of them. 

 

When commissioned as a USAF officer in 1956, Pat fulfilled his dream of becoming a pilot. He began his career flying helicopters for a year in Thule, Greenland. However, during the Cold War, he was assigned to the Strategic Air Command, flying both tankers and bombers. In 1970, he was serving as a B-52 commander when the military faced a shortage of rescue helicopter pilots in Vietnam. Due to his earlier helicopter experience, the computer spit out his name to go to Vietnam as an H-34 rescue pilot. His bravery was recognized with the Distinguished Flying Cross, one of the many medals and commendations he received for saving lives while serving his country.  

 

When he returned stateside, Pat continued his leadership as an advisor to a rescue squadron in Portland, Oregon, before stepping into the post of base operations officer in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Pat’s experience with aviation reached new heights when his daughter, USAF Lt. General Susan Helms (Ret), was selected by NASA to serve on four space shuttle missions, before a six-month stay on the International Space Station as part of Expedition 2. While Pat credited his achievements to luck, his family and friends knew it was his loyalty, perseverance, and humility. Pat followed his 30-year military career by teaching high school aviation science at the Albuquerque Career Enrichment Center. 

 

Pat was always on the move. He stayed fit with racquetball, tennis, and running well into his eighties, often outplaying his daughters’ boyfriends. He and Dori were very active members of their Methodist church - teaching, singing in the choir, and hosting parties at their pool which he kept spotless. In 1980, Pat and Dori purchased a timeshare in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and later acquired a series of RVs, traveling across the U.S. and Canada to visit their expanding family and many friends. They saw much of Europe and Asia, often on tours with retired Air Force buddies.  

 

During retirement, he added skiing and fly fishing to the mix, even getting Dori on skis for a while. He took joy in catching fish for her to fry during their RV travels and tied his own flies with care and precision. He loved to sing, help others, spend time with family, and surprised everyone by mastering the art of making perfect egg rolls. These years brought good times, connection, and discovery, marking a rich and vibrant chapter before he and Dori moved to the Wind Crest retirement community in Colorado in 2012 to be near family. As his Alzheimer’s progressed, the compassionate staff at adult day care and eventually on campus residential memory care, surrounded Pat and provided his final joys. 

 

His daughters remember him as the father who was always laughing, recalling the good times, and listening with interest to the stories of their various adventures. One constant in all their lives was the countless card games of bridge, which Pat and Dori taught their girls at a young age. Pat’s competitive streak lasted through his final game on his 94th birthday. The girls will always cherish the many memories made around the card table, and the delight on their dad’s face when he set a hand with the last trick. 

 

Pat Helms will be remembered as an honorable man who always greeted others with a smile, a compliment, and a word of good cheer. He was a hard worker, always “functioning” around the home, and sharing his handyman skills with his daughters, friends, and church. During Pat’s many TDYs, Dori held down the home front, as Pat often said, “You don’t fly local.” And when he returned, it was party time. 

 

Pat was preceded in death by his father, John William Helms; his mother, Ethel Cox Helms; and siblings Annie Laurie Helms Chisholm, Minnie May Helms, Margaret “Margie” Helms Brandenberger, John William “Bill” Helms Jr., Tom Helms, Diana Ruth “Susie” Helms Miller, and Bruce Helms. He was also preceded in death by his granddaughter, Emily Stutzman. 

 

Pat is survived by his wife, Doris “Dori” Helms; daughters Susan Helms, Nancy (Tim) Stutzman, Marji (Scott) Karish, PhD, and Janet Helms; brother David “Mack” Helms; nine grandchildren; Amanda (Ryan) Brown, Laura Wyatt, Alex Stutzman, Lisa Stutzman, Bryant West, Austin (Patty) West, Connor West, Jon Karish, and Chris Karish; and two great-grandchildren, Ben and Linessa Brown. 

 

Pat will be interred with military honors at Ft. Logan National Cemetery on Thursday, July 3, 2025 at 11:30 a.m. MDT. A celebration of life will follow that afternoon at the Wind Crest retirement community. In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to support the Wind Crest Scholarship or Care Fund, or honor Pat’s memory through a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association. alz.org The family welcomes stories, photos, and memories that capture Pat’s spirit. Please share them below.